European Commission to appoint special representative for Cyprus

On July 12, 2026, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced the upcoming appointment of a special representative for the Cyprus issue. This decision follows a telephone conversation with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Von der Leyen stated on the social media platform X that there is renewed momentum for resolving the Cyprus issue within the UN framework, aligned with EU principles and legislation. She emphasized that this opportunity must be utilized to make substantive progress in the coming months. The European Commission is prepared to provide comprehensive support and utilize all available tools to assist in these efforts. The appointment of the special representative is scheduled for July 13, 2026. This move signifies the EU's intention to intensify its involvement in the diplomatic process to break the long-standing deadlock. All sources align on the core announcement regarding the appointment and the high-level dialogue with the UN.